The invention relates to a stimulation system, such as a pelvic nerve or sacral nerve stimulation system, having a tool for programming an electrical stimulation generator, such as an implantable pulse generator (IPG), of the system.
A sacral nerve stimulator is a device used to provide electrical stimulation to the pelvic region of a patient, for example the sacral nerve or the pudendal nerve, in order to treat problems such as incontinence. The stimulator includes an implanted or external pulse generator and an implanted stimulation lead having one or more electrodes at a distal location thereof. The pulse generator provides the stimulation through the electrodes via a body portion and connector of the lead. Stimulation programming in general refers to the configuring of stimulation electrodes and stimulation parameters to treat the patient using one or more implanted leads and its attached IPG. For example, the programming is typically achieved by selecting individual electrodes and adjusting the stimulation parameters, such as the shape of the stimulation waveform, amplitude of current in mA (or amplitude of voltage in V), pulse width in microseconds, frequency in Hz, and anodic or cathodic stimulation.
Despite recent advances in medical technology, existing sacral nerve stimulation methods, systems, and devices still have various shortcomings. For example, as stimulation delivered to the patient is ramped up, the patient may exhibit various physiological responses. However, existing sacral nerve stimulation methods, systems, and devices have not been able to evaluate how well the stimulation lead has been placed based on the various physiological responses exhibited by the patient.
Therefore, although existing systems and methods for performing sacral nerve stimulation are generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in all respects.